Thespace program ofKazakhstan is originated from thedissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, when Kazakhstan declared their independence. The Kazakh space program consist of cosmonaut and satellite missions. The only launch site situated at Kazakhstan isBaikonur Cosmodrome, which is leased toRussia. The program is led byKazCosmos since 2007.
The first Kazakh person to go to space isToktar Aubakirov in 1991, followed byTalgat Musabayev in 1994.[1] On 7 January 2000, thegovernment of Kazakhstan decreed it would form acosmonaut corps.[2] Out of 2000 candidates, two were selected,Aidyn Aimbetov andMukhtar Aymakhanov, in 2002.[3] Aymakhanov left Kazakhstan in 2012 to become a Russian citizen to pursue a cosmonaut career.[4] Aimbetov was selected forSoyuz TMA-18M/Soyuz TMA-16M in June 2015.
On 18 June 2006, theKazSat-1 was launched fromBaikonur Cosmodrome, marking the beginning of Kazakhstan's independent inflight space operations.[5] In 2008 communications with the satellite ended, and it was declared lost.[6] The next satellite,KazSat-2, experienced a series of delays, but was launched on 16 July 2011 on board a Proton rocket. KazSat-2 was built by Krunichev andThales Alenia Space.[7]KazCosmos signed a contract with ISS-Reshetnev and Thales Alenia Space Italy on 21 June 2011 for the third telecommunications satellite, namedKazSat-3 and launched it in 2014. Two more satellites,KazEOSat 2 andAl Farabi-1, were launched in 29 June 2014 and 15 February 2017, respectively.
TheBaikonur Cosmodrome[a] is aspaceport operated byRussia withinKazakhstan. Located in the Kazakh city ofBaikonur, it is the largest operational space launch facility in terms of area.[8] All Russiancrewed spaceflights are launched from Baikonur.[9]
Situated in theKazakh Steppe, some 90 metres (300 ft) above sea level, it is 200 kilometres (120 mi) to the east of theAral Sea and north of theSyr Darya. It is close toTöretam, a station on theTrans-Aral Railway. Russia, as the official successor state to theSoviet Union, has retained control over the facility since 1991; it originally assumed this role through the post-SovietCommonwealth of Independent States (CIS), but ratified an agreement with Kazakhstan in 2005 that allowed it to lease the spaceport until 2050. It is jointly managed byRoscosmos and theRussian Aerospace Forces.[citation needed]
In 1955, theSoviet Ministry of Defense issued a decree and founded the Baikonur Cosmodrome.[10] It was originally built as the chief base of operations for theSoviet space program. The Cosmodrome served as the launching point forSputnik 1 andVostok 1. The launchpad used for both missions was renamed "Gagarin's Start" in honour of Soviet cosmonautYuri Gagarin, who piloted Vostok 1 and became the first human in outer space.[11] Under the current Russian management, Baikonur remains a spaceport, with numerous commercial, military, and scientific missions being launched annually.[12][13][14]